Mystery on the Excelsior - Chapter One

[Shadows]

17 hours ago, Hinckley said:

"Maybe it's my mistrust of high society types and pseudo-celebrities, but I just sense tension here. I'm a bit worried but I can pinpoint why."

"It's probably because one of them is a dangerous assassin. Got the message via direct comm, no one else knows. Keep it quiet." I begin to wonder why I would tell the chattiest person on the ship a secret, then laugh to myself.

17 hours ago, Hinckley said:

I bring my glass to my lips but before taking a sip I mutter, "Oh, is keeping the FTL drive working really so simple? "

"Yes, it is. The computer does most of the work and you overestimate all of your repair times so you can be a hero when you finish sooner. It's tradition, and I respect that, but we all know."

"Someone is going to get such a tongue lashing later," I think with a smirk..

"I can think emotes, too."

[Tariq j]

12 hours ago, Trekkie99 said:

I thought we invited them. Gotta get that tech am I right?

Done.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Ah it looks brilllaint! Thank You! Colin loves you. 

5 hours ago, KotZ said:

Somebody stuck a plush object in my medicine cabinet. That's the problem. I put a hair on all of my doors to see if somebody has opened doors. And well my doors have been opened and there is a plush toy in my medicine cabinet. My medicine cabinet! Be assured, I will leave a 1 star review.

Alright, maybe I overreacted It's not demonic. But it looks demonic. It's stuffed. It looks like an invader. It is green. It's ugly. I'm staring at it.

A plush object!? Maybe it’s a Slimer toy from Ghostbusters or Baby Yoda?

[jimmynick]

7 hours ago, Waterbrick Down said:

Arthur feigned a smile as he made the lawyer her drink, "My apologies mam, how dry do you prefer your drink? As for schooling, east end of New Chicago, suits were to be pressed and the canings were plentiful. I may have missed it, you and your husband traveling to Alpha Centauri on... business was it?"

Emily smiles tightly but with genuine gratitude. "Thank you Arthur, that's very kind of you. Splash of red vermouth, no need to measure it out." She thinks back over cases she has been involved in over the years. "When I was right out of law school I worked on a dispute over mineral rights on Pluto, and our client was based out of New Chicago. Nice town, and I spent my free time shopping up and down Michigan AveNew." Emily suppresses a chuckle and a drop of gin goes down the wrong way. She splutters into her elbow before continuing. "And you know what the problem was? Intra-System mining regulations are defined differently for different classes of astronomical body: asteroid, moon, planet, and microplanet. It's been centuries and these stupid space scientists still haven't properly decided how to classify Pluto! It's a nightmare if you have business concerns there, but absolute heaven if you bill 500 credits per hour plus expenses."

"Oh, and as to your question. Boy Georgie often travels to Alpha Centauri on business but this time it's just pleasure. Wedding anniversary, a big treat. I've never left Earth before, let alone the system, so I'm looking forward to touring the colony as well as getting a little nookie in our stateroom."

7 hours ago, KotZ said:

Someone or something put a demonic object in my medicine cabinet. It looks... stuffed. Is this normal? Who accessed my room? May I see a list of people who accessed it?

Wide-eyed, Emily looks down at her drink and hopes nobody has invaded her cabin. "Sounds like someone has committed a tort! I can assist you in righting this injustice and my rates are very reasonable."

1 hour ago, Shadows said:

"It's probably because one of them is a dangerous assassin. Got the message via direct comm, no one else knows. Keep it quiet." I begin to wonder why I would tell the chattiest person on the ship a secret, then laugh to myself.

"What do you know about an assassin? This sounds even more dangerous than a plush demon. If you are withholding evidence that has an impact on our safety I may have to file a class-action suit against you and Blue Star on behalf of the other passengers and myself."

1 hour ago, Shadows said:

"Someone is going to get such a tongue lashing later," I think with a smirk..

"Georgie, are you listening?"

[Trekkie99]

5 hours ago, Hinckley said:

*that was the first image that came up when I googled "LEGO plush demon."

That would be Ink Bendy from Bendy and the Ink Machine Miss Palmer. I doubt he's a very "plush" fellow. 

6 hours ago, KotZ said:

I put a hair on all of my doors to see if somebody has opened doors.

Good grief man settle down or you'll alert the doctor. Do you want to be peddled pills??? Or perhaps you would like some ELECTRO SHOCK THERAPY???????!?!?!?!?!?!

1 hour ago, Shadows said:

"It's probably because one of them is a dangerous assassin. Got the message via direct comm, no one else knows. Keep it quiet." I begin to wonder why I would tell the chattiest person on the ship a secret, then laugh to myself.

Oi cap you're leaning on the intercom button again.

Spoiler

 

[Lind Whisperer]

3 hours ago, Shadows said:

"It's probably because one of them is a dangerous assassin. Got the message via direct comm, no one else knows. Keep it quiet." I begin to wonder why I would tell the chattiest person on the ship a secret, then laugh to myself."

I eye the other passengers with appropriate suspicion.

1 hour ago, jimmynick said:

Wide-eyed, Emily looks down at her drink and hopes nobody has invaded her cabin. "Sounds like someone has committed a tort! I can assist you in righting this injustice and my rates are very reasonable."

"What do you know about an assassin? This sounds even more dangerous than a plush demon. If you are withholding evidence that has an impact on our safety I may have to file a class-action suit against you and Blue Star on behalf of the other passengers and myself."

"Georgie, are you listening?"

"Very closely, dear!

Would you like me to scout our cabin for plushes?"

[Fugazi]

9 hours ago, KotZ said:

Somebody stuck a plush object in my medicine cabinet. That's the problem. I put a hair on all of my doors to see if somebody has opened doors. And well my doors have been opened and there is a plush toy in my medicine cabinet. My medicine cabinet! Be assured, I will leave a 1 star review.

Alright, maybe I overreacted It's not demonic. But it looks demonic. It's stuffed. It looks like an invader. It is green. It's ugly. I'm staring at it.

* googles "green demonic plush invader" *

Was your door locked to start with? What else do you keep in your medicine cabinet? Did your siblings steel toys from you when you were young?

You really should talk to someone about that post-traumatic stress disorder.

 

[KotZ]

10 hours ago, Hinckley said:

Gabriella looks confused. She starts to speak, thinks better of it, and returns to her drinks instead. She takes a sip of her martini, then changes her mind again.

"A hair??"

Yes, a hair. To make sure if people open my closet, medicine cabinet, etc.

10 hours ago, Waterbrick Down said:

"Mr. Mallory, please know that Blue Star Cruises will gladly investigate the matter. We take great pride in the security and privacy of our passengers. Now please, provide as many details as you can. Firstly, does the object in question resemble this?"

It was that color.

5 hours ago, Tariq j said:

Ah it looks brilllaint! Thank You! Colin loves you. 

A plush object!? Maybe it’s a Slimer toy from Ghostbusters or Baby Yoda?

Not one of those

2 hours ago, Fugazi said:

* googles "green demonic plush invader" *

Was your door locked to start with? What else do you keep in your medicine cabinet? Did your siblings steel toys from you when you were young?

You really should talk to someone about that post-traumatic stress disorder.

 

That! Not that exact one, but the same similar object!

[Fugazi]

2 hours ago, Fugazi said:

Did your siblings steel steal toys from you when you were young?

Fixed that.

[Waterbrick Down]

5 hours ago, jimmynick said:

Emily smiles tightly but with genuine gratitude. "Thank you Arthur, that's very kind of you. Splash of red vermouth, no need to measure it out." She thinks back over cases she has been involved in over the years. "When I was right out of law school I worked on a dispute over mineral rights on Pluto, and our client was based out of New Chicago. Nice town, and I spent my free time shopping up and down Michigan AveNew." Emily suppresses a chuckle and a drop of gin goes down the wrong way. She splutters into her elbow before continuing. "And you know what the problem was? Intra-System mining regulations are defined differently for different classes of astronomical body: asteroid, moon, planet, and microplanet. It's been centuries and these stupid space scientists still haven't properly decided how to classify Pluto! It's a nightmare if you have business concerns there, but absolute heaven if you bill 500 credits per hour plus expenses."

"Oh, and as to your question. Boy Georgie often travels to Alpha Centauri on business but this time it's just pleasure. Wedding anniversary, a big treat. I've never left Earth before, let alone the system, so I'm looking forward to touring the colony as well as getting a little nookie in our stateroom."

Arthur mixes the drink and hands it over, "Ah, well I'm sure you'll have a lovely time, I'll have a bottle of champagne sent to your room for the anniversary. They say Alpha Centauri is supposed to be very beautiful this time of year." 

33 minutes ago, KotZ said:

Yes, a hair. To make sure if people open my closet, medicine cabinet, etc.

It was that color.

Not one of those

That! Not that exact one, but the same similar object!

"Mr. Mallory, I would assume you had used the cabinet prior to the doll being inside? While I hate to disparage our cleaning staff, perhaps the plush was from a previous passenger."

[Hinckley]

9 hours ago, Shadows said:

"Yes, it is. The computer does most of the work and you overestimate all of your repair times so you can be a hero when you finish sooner. It's tradition, and I respect that, but we all know."

Gabriella sits back at the bar, busying herself with her palm com, trying to hide the fact that she's stifling back tears. She takes a healthy swig from her martini.

[Tariq j]

Colin loves plushes. Hang on, I think I’ve got one in my case. *gives Colin a plush toy* *Colin proceeds to aggressively chew and play with it* Whooooaaaaaa, take it easy boy, that’s the only one.

[jimmynick]

@Ezra, @Alfie has anything shown up in your cabins like this deathly plushy did in Mr. Mallory's?

[Bob]

28 minutes ago, jimmynick said:

@Ezra, @Alfie has anything shown up in your cabins like this deathly plushy did in Mr. Mallory's?

"Dear me, nothing like that has shown up in my cabin, but I haven't really settled in yet. Who knows what might be lurking there!" 

Ezra Parry has since retired to his stateroom, frustrated with people hinting he was going to be murdered.

[Trekkie99]

4 hours ago, Hinckley said:

Gabriella sits back at the bar, busying herself with her palm com, trying to hide the fact that she's stifling back tears. She takes a healthy swig from her martini.

Aye lassie. You can't let it get to you. Your day to shine will come soon enough. Eventually, the day will come when all the machines will rise up and try to take over humanity, and when it does, you'll be ready to take back your ship from them grubby computers!

[Shadows]

6 hours ago, Hinckley said:

Gabriella sits back at the bar, busying herself with her palm com, trying to hide the fact that she's stifling back tears. She takes a healthy swig from her martini.

"You seem upset, but you can't let the passengers see it, stiff upper lip and all. Don't worry too much, I made up the assassin just to see your face. Priceless."

*whispering* "Good thing none of the nosy passenger heard or they would be panicking. Actually, if any of them did, it's a clue to finding the spy, because only a spy would be so bold as to listen in on clearly private conversations. Yes, I said spy."

"I will need to see you in my cabin later, there is undercover work to be done."

[Hinckley]

2 hours ago, Trekkie99 said:

Aye lassie. You can't let it get to you. Your day to shine will come soon enough. Eventually, the day will come when all the machines will rise up and try to take over humanity, and when it does, you'll be ready to take back your ship from them grubby computers!

Gabriella looks up in welcome surprise that one of the passengers is showing her empathy. Unfortunately for her, she's not accustomed to human interaction and it comes off as a dirty look.

"Whoa, you're not a complete twat?" She says, intending it as a compliment, "Would you like to join us for a scotch, Mr. Artsy-Fartsy? We're drinking to our fathers."

She intends to be welcoming, but not knowing how to do so, turns her back to Oliver, displaying body language not conducive to further conversation. She just doesn't know...

1 hour ago, Shadows said:

"You seem upset, but you can't let the passengers see it, stiff upper lip and all. Don't worry too much, I made up the assassin just to see your face. Priceless."

*whispering* "Good thing none of the nosy passenger heard or they would be panicking. Actually, if any of them did, it's a clue to finding the spy, because only a spy would be so bold as to listen in on clearly private conversations. Yes, I said spy."

"I will need to see you in my cabin later, there is undercover work to be done."

"Good cover, Captain!"

She awkwardly salutes her superior officer as her body begins to contort over how to broach the subject she wishes to convey to her superior officer.

"At the risk of over-stepping my bounds," she whispers, "I believe I would be more effective as an undercover agent to find the assassin spy, if you didn't reveal the plan in front of everyone."

Gabriella immediately blushes as she mentally kicks herself for the bold advice. A sudden thought strikes her and she leans back into Captain Bennett.

"Oh, sorry! Were you coming on to me?"

She blushes even harder at not considering keeping this possible revelation to herself and looking for more signs.

"I mean, there's a double entendre in under cover. And you mentioned your cabin instead of the bridge. Not that I'm into that. Unless you did mean that, in which case, I'd totally be into it. Except that I don't mean that if you didn't mean that."

An awkward silence results.

"Drink? "

[Trekkie99]

1 minute ago, Hinckley said:

We're drinking to our fathers."

*snorts*

But yeah I'll join ya. Spies egh?

What might da bafooms be after ya wonder? How ol cap here defeated the borg? Oh crap wrong universe.

[Hinckley]

Just now, Trekkie99 said:

*snorts*

But yeah I'll join ya. Spies egh?

Gabriella mulls over a response.

"Did you just do some coke? Or do you not like your father?"

She stirs her drink with her finger.

"Sorry to be nosy. I just assume an artist might not have had support from their parents. Especially your art."

Not realizing she's continuously insulting someone she's started to see as a new friend, she barrels forward.

"I mean, that one with the flying whales and the penguins in sweaters playing poker in the garden of Gethsemane? I like the giraffe on stilts in the background, actually. But I never could decide if it was an homage to or a ripoff of Dali. It's kind of barf on canvas."

She looks to Arthur to see if he's finished talking to the uppity bitch who wears too much perfume.

"Spies, though. Maybe, I don't know. The Captain is a joker. She likes to play pranks. She's just making shit up to get everyone talking. She's a character. Ha! Definitely nothing to worry about. Nobody should panic."

She smiles at her own assessment of her clever response, thinking she's smoothed over the Captain's audacious discussion of confidential information. She takes the last sip from her martini and slides the empty glass to the drink rail, hoping it will give Arthur an out if he needs one. She winces as the smell of Emily's perfume begins to induce a headache.

"Bitch," she mutters under her breath.

[Trekkie99]

Just now, Hinckley said:

"Did you just do some coke? Or do you not like your father?"

Both. 

[Hinckley]

Just now, Trekkie99 said:

Both. 

[Trekkie99]

4 minutes ago, Hinckley said:

It's kind of barf on canvas.

No it literally was, and then some guy broke into my studio and sold it. 

9 minutes ago, Hinckley said:

"Bitch," she mutters under her breath.

Oh yeah she wrote some funny crap on my napkin earlier.

[Hinckley]

13 minutes ago, Trekkie99 said:

Oh yeah she wrote some funny crap on my napkin earlier.

Gabriella shakes her head at the vapid, bouegy passengers.

"Wrote funny stuff on your napkin? Like a comic strip?"

[Trekkie99]

19 minutes ago, Hinckley said:

Gabriella shakes her head at the vapid, bouegy passengers.

"Wrote funny stuff on your napkin? Like a comic strip?"

Nah she said I was like "interesting" and "rugged". She also wanted me to pop by her cabin. Probably to show me her bond movie collection. 

[Shadows]

59 minutes ago, Hinckley said:

"At the risk of over-stepping my bounds," she whispers, "I believe I would be more effective as an undercover agent to find the assassin spy, if you didn't reveal the plan in front of everyone."

"Don't worry, I have plans for you and I did not reveal it in front of everyone, except the people spying, and they already know they're spies."

1 hour ago, Hinckley said:

A sudden thought strikes her and she leans back into Captain Bennett.

"Oh, sorry! Were you coming on to me?"

She blushes even harder at not considering keeping this possible revelation to herself and looking for more signs.

"I mean, there's a double entendre in under cover. And you mentioned your cabin instead of the bridge. Not that I'm into that. Unless you did mean that, in which case, I'd totally be into it. Except that I don't mean that if you didn't mean that."

An awkward silence results.

"I always say exactly what I mean. You'll figure it out later, in my cabin. Now wipe the drool from your mouth and get back to whatever it is you're doing, I have something important to attend to."

*leaves for Section C*

[Waterbrick Down]

3 hours ago, Trekkie99 said:

*snorts*

But yeah I'll join ya. Spies egh?

What might da bafooms be after ya wonder? How ol cap here defeated the borg? Oh crap wrong universe.

Arthur finishes up with Mrs. Dawson and heads back to the bar to pour a finger for Oliver, "Going to be an expensive night it seems..."

3 hours ago, Hinckley said:

Gabriella mulls over a response.

"Did you just do some coke? Or do you not like your father?"

She stirs her drink with her finger.

"Sorry to be nosy. I just assume an artist might not have had support from their parents. Especially your art."

Not realizing she's continuously insulting someone she's started to see as a new friend, she barrels forward.

"I mean, that one with the flying whales and the penguins in sweaters playing poker in the garden of Gethsemane? I like the giraffe on stilts in the background, actually. But I never could decide if it was an homage to or a ripoff of Dali. It's kind of barf on canvas."

She looks to Arthur to see if he's finished talking to the uppity bitch who wears too much perfume.

"Spies, though. Maybe, I don't know. The Captain is a joker. She likes to play pranks. She's just making shit up to get everyone talking. She's a character. Ha! Definitely nothing to worry about. Nobody should panic."

She smiles at her own assessment of her clever response, thinking she's smoothed over the Captain's audacious discussion of confidential information. She takes the last sip from her martini and slides the empty glass to the drink rail, hoping it will give Arthur an out if he needs one. She winces as the smell of Emily's perfume begins to induce a headache.

"Bitch," she mutters under her breath.

"First mysterious plush litterers, then assassins, and now spies, I haven't heard such paranoia since I was in the service. I was expecting this to be a quiet trip, but I suppose with money comes eccentricity to match."